West Papua: Police Arrest Reporter Over Broadcast Allegation

Tuesday, 7 May 2013, 1:50 pm
Article: Pacific Media Centre

West Papua: Police Arrest Radio Reporter Over Broadcast Allegations

http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/pacific-media-watch/west-papua-police-arrest-radio-reporter-over-broadcast-allegations-8280

Papuan radio reporter Abert Dimas Anggoro arrested over Penyiar on-air allegations

JAYAPURA (Kabar Berita / Antara / Pacific Media Watch): Indonesian police have arrested a Papuan radio reporter named Abert Dimas Anggoro over financial allegations broadcast about the Manokwari regent on Penyiar Radio FM.

According to Dimas, he was seized by relatives of Sem Ayorbaba, who is a cashier in the department of aid service of Manokwari Regency Office.

The reporter had claimed in a public affairs programme, Matoa, that  the district office was "dilapidated", Kabar Berita reported online.

The cashier was apparently named in a programme entitled  "Awaiting promise that the regent will remove the underperforming assessed cashier".

"We are now present in the interview room of Sanggeng police station," Dimas told colleagues.

Dimas was accompanied by members of the Independent Journalist Alliance (AJI) Jayapura and a representative of the local media reporters, Papua New Light.

The city of Jayapura AJI advocacy coordinator Wally Jack said the incident demonstrated the lack of understanding of the work of journalists in Indonesia , particularly in Papua.

"Law No. 40 on the Press, chapter 1 clause 11, where if a person or group feels aggrieved over the news then used the correct complaints procedure," said Jack.

He explained that currently AJI Jayapura City was coordinating with the police to solve this problem under the Press Law.

Which is in addition to using the right of reply, chapter 1 clause 12 it was stated that there was also a right to correct errors.

"This issue must be resolved by the Press Law," said Jack.

ENDS

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